Fatigue syndrome in chronic heart failure: methods of evaluation

Urgency. Fatigue is a most common complaint of patients and also one of major symptoms in CHF. Various aspects of this condition may be quite justly combined into a CHF fatigue syndrome. Possibilities for evaluation of this syndrome are insufficiently studied. Aim. To use original methods for evaluation of fatigue syndrome in patients with CHF. Materials and methods. 50 patients with IHD-complicating CHF, aged fr om 45 to 75 years (17 females, 33 males) were evaluated. Severity of the fatigue syndrome was assessed using an original questionnaire, a visual analogue scale and a modified 6-min walk test with a pedometer. Results and discussion. A glossary (language) for CHF fatigue was composed. The use of the described methods allows objectification of patients’ complaints and adequate assessment of fatigue severity whereas the modified exercise test with a pedometer allows the patient to assess his/her condition independently. Isolation of the fatigue syndrome is important for diagnostics of CHF and its FC. The presented original techniques for studying CHF fatigue can be commonly used in clinical practice.